Retrieval assembly

ABSTRACT

A retrieval assembly, in combination with an airborne vehicle capable of hovering (e.g., a helicopter), for use in retrieving a downed drone airborne vehicle. The assembly includes a hook subassembly, a pole subassembly which includes a multi-purpose pole, a recovery cable subassembly, and a swivel subassembly, all of which cooperate to capture, lift, support, and carry the downed drone vehicle. The drone, thereby, can be safely suspended beneath the helicopter, and also can rotate while dangling without twisting and subsequently breaking the recovery cable from which the drone is dangling. Therefore, the drone can be reliably, safely, quickly, and easily retrieved.

United States Patent 1 1 Day et a1.

1 1 RETRIEVAL ASSEMBLY [75] Inventors: Douglas B. Day; Wellred A. Stahl.

both of Dayton. Ohio [731 Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force. Washington. DC.

22 Filed: Dec. 11. 1973 1211 Appl.No.:423,8S5

1521 US. Cl. 244/137 R; 294/19 R; 294/83 R I511 Int. Cl B64d 3/00 1581 Field of Search 244/137 R. 118 R. 1 R.

244/171 1. 17.17. 3; 294/19 R. 83 R. 83 A. 58; 114/221 R. 174/556. 6. 7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.852.629 4/1932 Sturgcs 294/19 R X 2.763.506 9/1956 Dcnker ct a1. 294/58 X 2.954.185 9/1961) Spratt 244/3 2.991.959 7/1961 Rizzo 244/3 3.1. 5.5] l 6/1964 Norman ct a1 244/3 X 3.177.028 4/1965 Cozzoli M 294/83 A June 24, 1975 Primary E.\'UIH1HFDU3I18 A. Reger Assistant Examiner-Barry L. Kelmachter Attorney. Agent. or FirmArsen Tashjian 1 57] ABSTRACT A retrieval assembly, in combination with an airborne vehicle capable of hovering (e.g.. a helicopter). for use in retrieving a downed drone airborne vehicle. The assembly includes a hook subassembly. a pole subassembly which includes a multi-purpose pole. a recovery cable subassembly. and a swivel subassembly. all of which cooperate to capture. lift. support. and carry the downed drone vehicle. The drone. thereby. can be safely suspended beneath the helicopter. and also can rotate while dangling without twisting and subsequently breaking the recovery cable from which the drone is dangling. Therefore. the drone can be reliably. safely. quickly, and easily retrieved.

8 Claims. 10 Drawing Figures 1. 165 PATENTEn JUN 24 ms 8 9 SHEET 2 SHEET PATENTED JUN 24 I915 RETRIEVAL ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND This invention pertains to a retrieval assembly and. more particularly. to a retrieval assembly which is adapted for use with an airborne vehicle which is capable of hovering. In this adaptation. the inventive rctrieval assembly is especially well-suited for retrieving a downed drone airborne vehicle. It is here to be noted that this adaptation is merely and solely by way of illustration. and not because of any limitation of the inventive assembly.

As a preliminary matter. it is also to be noted that the following terms. as used herein. are intended to have the meaningts). as indicated. The term "airborne vehicle" is intended to mean a vehicle. craft. structure or the like which is capable of airborne flight. Such airborne vehicles" may include. but are not limited to. airplanes. gliders. and the like; and. such airborne vehicles may also include missiles. spacecraft. and the like. when they are within the atmosphere. An "airborne vehicle capable of hovering" is intended to include. but is not limited to. a helicopter and the like. A drone airborne vehicle" is intended to means a pilotless airborne vehicle which may or may not be remotely directable.

One of the basic. and continuing, problems of recovering (i.c.. retrieving) a downed drone airborne vehicle is that. after the downed drone has been captured by prior art means used in combination with a hoverable airborne vehicle. the captured drone may rotate while being suspended from the capturing airborne vehicle which is in flight. This rotation (or yawing) of the captured and suspended drone results in the twisting of. and in the subsequent breaking of. the cable which is used to suspend the drone from the capturing airborne vehicle. As a result. the drone drops. If the drop is on land. the drone may be recaptured, although most probably it will be in a more damaged condition than when originally captured. lfthe drop is over water. the drone may sink; and. if so. it cannot be recaptured. Even if the cable does not break. but rather becomes entangled with any portion of the drone (such as the tail) or with anything else while the drone is over water. the cable must be jettisoned or otherwise released with the drone attached. Since this drop is over water. the drone may sink as indicated above. and may not be able to be recaptured.

It is readily apparent. therefore. that what is needed in the art. and is not presently available is an apparatus which will permit rotation of the captured and suspended (i.e.. dangling) drone. but which will neutralize the effect of the twisting and obviate the breaking of the suspending cable. Additionally. the apparatus should prevent entanglement. or alternatively should minimize the effect of any entanglement of the cable with the drone.

We have invented such an apparatus. in the form of a retrieval assembly; and. thereby. we have advanced the state-ol'-tlie-art.

SUMMARY OF 'IHI-I INVENTION ()ur inventive apparatus pertains to a retrieval assem bly. as adapted for use (with an airborne vehicle capa ble of hovering) in retrieving (i.c.. in capturing and returning or bringing back) a downed drone airborne vehicle.

An object of this invention is to permit the reliable. safe. quick. and easy retrieval of a downed drone airborne vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a retrieval assembly which includes a pole subassembly wherein the pole thereof has novel multifunctional purposes.

These objects. and still other related and equally important objects. will become readily apparent after a consideration of the description herein of the invention. coupled with reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a pictorial representation of the use of our inventive retrieval assembly. in combination with an airborne vehicle capable of hovering. in capturing a downed drone airborne vehicle;

FIG. 2 depicts. in pictorial form. another use of some of the components. of the retrieval assembly. particularly the pole thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view of our inventive retrieval assembly while not in use;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are different views of the novel hook component of the hook subassembly of the inventive retrieval assembly. as taken along lines 44 and 55 of FIG. 3'.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are two views of the fore end of the novel pole component of the pole subassembly of the inventive retrieval assembly; and.

FIGS. 8. 9 and I0 are various views of the novel swivel subassembly of the inventive retrieval assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1-10, inclusive, the same component is designated by the same reference numeral.

With reference to FIG. I, therein is shown a preferred embodiment 15 of our inventive retrieval assembly vehicle being used to capture" a downed drone airborne vehicle I00, hereinafter referred to as a drone. More specifically. the preferred embodiment [5 of our invention is shown while being used by operator 200 (who is riding in hoverablc airborne vehicle 300, which happens in this situation to be a helicopter) in capturing drone I00 which is on land 400 and which said drone I00 has hookable means. such as riser I I0, attached to it that can be hooked (or snared. or grasped. or the like). The procedure being performed by operator 200, as shown in FIG. 1, will be discussed in detail later herein. At this time it is appropriate to point out. as is well known by those in the drone retrieval art. that the normal return of the drone to the recovery area is through and by the utilization of a parachute which is part of the drones equipment. which said parachute is deployed over or enroute to the recovery area. and which said parachute is attached to the drone by hookable means. such as a riser. designated H0 in FIG. 1. It is equally well known by those in the art: that the target area over which the drone I00 (which. in fact. is a/or the target) is flown is over water; that ifthe target (i.e.. the drone) is "hit it must be recovered from the water; and. that in that case the drone's parachute is jettisoned or released from the drone to prevent or to delay sinking of the drone. with the riser III) (or other hookable means) remaining attached to drone I00.

With reference to FIG. 2. therein is shown the preferred embodiment l5 of our invention as it would be utilized by operator 200 to recapture (ie. rehook. and the like) downed drone I in the unlikely event that. despite the use of our invention. the drone I00 be comes entangled in a suspension cable component of our invention IS. and the drone l0" and the suspension cable (previously attached to the drone by having been booked to the riser ||0 thereof, FlG. l) are jettisoned on land 400. The procedure followed by the operator 200 in these improbable circumstances will be further discussed later herein.

With reference to FIG. 3. therein is shown our inventive retrieval assembly 15, while not in use. Our inventive assembly includes: a hook subassembly by which the hookable means, such as riser ||0. FIGS. 1 and 2. of the drone 100 may be releasably hooked; a pole subassembly a recovery cable subassembly 40; and. a swivel sub-assembly 50.

The book subassembly 20 includes: a hook 2| (preferably made of an aluminum alloy) having two ends, with an elongated jaw 21A at one end. and with an opening or cavity 2|B (preferably tap drilled) at the other end, and also with a biased keeper 22 at said other end. The keeper 22 (also preferably made of an aluminum alloy) and the elongated jaw 21A limit and define the throat 23 of the hook 2|. The keeper 22 is biased, preferably with a spring. so that to gain entry to (or to egress from) the throat 23, the keeper 22 must be moved inwardly, ie, toward the throat 23.

The pole subassembly 30 includes: a shaft or pole 3| (preferably 12 feet long and also preferably made of an aluminum alloy) having two ends, a fore end 31A and an aft end 318, with the fore end 3|A suitably dimensioned and configurated to fit into and mate with complemcntary opening 218 of book 21, thereby permitting the pole 31 (at the fore end 31A) to be removably attachable to hook 2|; a handle or grip 32 (also preferably made of an aluminum alloy) attached to the aft end 318 of pole 3|; a ground wire 33 having two ends. with one end attached to handle 32', a grounding clip 34 connected to the other end of the ground wire 33; and; a hollow cylindrical tube 35 (also preferably made of an aluminum alloy) surrounding pole 3] and being slideably movable between the fore end 31A and the aft and 31B of the pole 31.

The recovery cable subassembly includes a recovery cable or wire rope 4| preferably of one half inch di' ameter and of steel and having a fore end 4|A and an aft end 418, with the fore end 41A connected to the book 21 of hook subassembly 20. The cable end-tohook connection is preferably, but need not be. by a first swaging terminal 41C attached to the cable fore end 41A and. in turn, attached to hook 2| by bolting means 4|D.

The swivel sub-assembly S0 is connected to the aft end 418 of the recovery cable subassemhly 40. The cable end-to-swivel subassembly connection also preferably is. but need not be, by a second swaging terminal 41E attached to the cable aft end 4|B and. in turn. attached to swivel subasscmbly by bolting means 4| F.

FlG. 4 is a view. partially in cross section. of hook 2| as seen when the hook 2] is viewed along lines 4-4 shown in FIG. 3, with swaging terminal -HA removed. Keeper 22, which preferably is made of an aluminum alloy, is biased preferably by a spring. such as 22A. which preferably is made of music wire.

oil

FIG. 5 is a \ic\\. in cross section and partially frag nicntedv ol hook 2| seen as viewed along lines 5--5 in PK). 3. Female-type cavity 21A in hook 2| is drilled. preferably in the configuration shown. to accept and to rclcasahly hold. fore end JIA. FIG. 3. of pole 3]. thereby resulting in the releasable attachment of the pole 3| to hook 2|.

lt is here to be noted that. as a matter ofconvenience. the hook 2| as shown in FlG. 3. and the views of the hook 2| as shown in FIGS. 4 and S are not to scale.

With reference to FIG. 6, therein is shown a side elevation view. partially fragmented. of pole 3|, and more particularly of fore end 31A of said pole 3|. Fore end 3|A is preferably chanifered, such as is generally designated by reference numeral 3|C. and holds in a captivated condition a plurality of balls. preferably four of which three (i.e.. 3|D. 31E. and 3|F) are shown. and also preferably in a plurality of rows. such as the two rows shown in FlG. 6.

As to FlG. 7, therein is shown a view of fore end 3|A of pole 3| as seen along lines 7-7 in FIG. 6. All of the four preferred balls 3|D. 3|E. 3|F and 31G are easily seen. as also is the preferred two-row arrangement of the balls (i.e.. one row formed by balls 31D and 3|E. and another row formed by balls 31F and 31G). As can be also seen. the balls are located preferably degrees apart. Additionally. the balls are preferably springloaded.

It is appropriate here also to note that the fore end 31A together with the captivated balls comprise the ball" portion of the ball-and-socket (i.e.. snapdetent) arrangement. whereby pole 3| is rendered remov ably attachable to hook 2], with complementary configurated and dimensioned cavity 21 forming the socket portion of the arrangement. On the other hand, the arrangement might also be referred to as a malefemale mating arrangement.

FIGS. 8. 9 and 10 are various views of our novel swivel subassembly 50. FIG. 3, of our inventive retrieval assembly 15. As shown in FIG. 8, the swivel subasscmbly 50, includes: swivel 5| which in part comprises fore portion 51A and aft portion 518; aft link 52; and. swivel adapter 53. The swivel 5| may be a McMaster-Carr No. 35l6YlS or equal; and. link 52 may be a McMastenCarr No. 3566118 or equal. Swivel adapter 53 is of our own inventive structure; replaces the nut which is normally furnished with a commercially obtainable swivel; and. is shown in FIG. 9 in cross section, as seen along lines 99 of FIG. 8. ln FlGv 9, the swivel adapter 53 is shown as having. in the lower portion thereof, an opening or cavity 53A which is identical to the cavity 218 of hook 2]. FIGS. 3 and 5, and ofcourse cavity 53A will accept and will releasably hold fore end 31A of pole 3|. FIGS. 3. 6 and 7. The adapter 53 is preferably made of an aluminum alloy. In FIG. 10, which is a top plan view of swivel assembly 50. the directional arrows show the independent rotatable capability of swivel portions 5| A and SIB. Also shown. generally designatcd by reference numeral 52A. is the throat of aft swivel link 52 vvhereat the cargo hook (not shown) of the helicopter 300. FIG. 2. is releasably connected.

MANNER OF USE AND OF OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FlG. when a drone (such as is downed. a hoverable airborne vehicle (such as 300) is dispatched to the scene. with: the aft portion of the swivel subassembly 50 attached to the helicopter cargo hook (and. of course. to the cargo hook subassembly 310) which is attached to the helicopter 300; aft end MB of the recovery cable 41 attached to the aft portion of the swivel subassembly 50'. the fore end 3lA of the pole 3] removably attached to hook Zl of book subassembly 20; and. with grounding clip 34 of pole subassembly 30 suitably attached to helicopter 300 to dissipate static electricity.

The helicopter 300 hovers over downed drone I00. and the operator 200 of the retrieval assembly [5 hooks. couples. engages and secures riser with and to hook 21 of hook subassembly of the retrieval as sembly [5. thereby in effect securing downed drone [00 to helicopter 300. More specifically. after hooking riser III) with hook 2|. the operator releases hook 2| from pole 3! by disengaging fore end JlA of pole 31 from cavity 2] B of hook 21. and he 200 then retrieves the pole 31 per se.

From the pictorial representation in H0 l of the activity conducted. and of the procedure performed. one can see: that fore end 41A of recovery cable 4| is attached to. and remains attached to. hook 21; that the aft end 4") of recovery cable 41 remains attahced to the fore portion of swivel subassembly 50; that the aft end of swivel subassembly S0 (and. more definitively, the aft link 52 thereof) remains connected to (but is releasably connected to. i.e.. is detachable from) the helicopter cargo hook (and, of course. to the cargo hook subassembly 310) which. in turn. is attached to helicopter 300.

The helicopter 300 is then used to lift. to support. and to carry the drone 100, by suspension from the helicopter 300 and the hook subassembly 20, the recovery cable subassembly 40, and the swivel subassernbly 50 attached thereto 300. Thereby, the downed drone [00 is retrieved.

It is to be noted that. when helicopter 300 is dispatched to retrieve downed drone 100. a plurality of book subassemblies 20 and of recovery cable subassemblies 40 are ciarried aboard the helicopter for improbable. but possible and potential use. For example. ifthe recovery is over water (or. on land where the helicopter is unable to land for some reason). and if however improbable the recovery cable 41 becomes entangled with the drone ")0 (such as the tail thereof). or with anything else. the recovery cable 4] and the book 21 are (and must be) jettisoned for helicopter safety. Then. one of the plurality of spare hook subassemblies 20 and of the recovery cable subasscmblies 40 carried aboard the helicopter are used as replacements for the jettisoned ones; and. the procedure described hereinabove to hook the downed drone 100 is used to recon nect the substitute hook 2|. and the recovery cable 4l connected thereto. to the downed drone [00. in this regard. it is to be remembered that the pole 3] has the structural capability of being removably attachable either to the hook 2| or to the swivel subassembly 50 (i c.. the swivel adapter 53 thereof). by virtue of being insertable into and removable from the cavity 2"} of book 21 and the cavity 53A of the swivel adapter S3. in PK 2. the operator 200 of the retrieval assembly 15 is shown attaching. with pole 31. a replacement recovery cable 1-H and a replacement swivel subassembly 150 to cargo hook and cargo hook subassenihly 3H].

The original recovery cable 4] is shown entangled with the tail of the drone 100.

CONCLUSION It is abundantly clear from all of the foregoing. and from the drawings. that the desired objects (and also other related objects) of our inventive retrieval assembly 15 have been attained.

It is emphasized that. although there have been described and shown the fundamental unique features of our inventive assembly as applied to a preferred embodiment l5 which has been adapted for a particular use (ie. retrieval of a downed drone. such as [00. FIGS. 1 and 2). it is to be understood that various other embodiments, substitutions. additions. omissions. ad aptations and the like can be made by persons of ordinary skill in the art. without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A retrieval assembly. in combination with an airborne vehicle capable of hovering. for use in retrieving a downed drone airborne vehicle having hookable means attached to it. wherein the hoverable airborne vehicle has a cargo hook and is capable of lifting. supporting, and carrying the downed drone airborne vehicle by suspension thereof. comprising:

a. a hook subasscmbly which includes a book by which the bookable means of the downed drone airborne vehicle may be releasably hooked;

b. a pole sub-assembly which includes a pole having a fore end and an aft end. with said fore end removably attached to said book of said hook subassembly;

l a recovery cable subassembly which includes a recovery cable having a fore end and an aft end. with said fore end connected to said hook of said hook assembly;

d. and, a swivel subassembly which includes a swivel having a fore portion and an aft portion, with said fore portion connected to said aft end of said re covery cable. and with said aft portion of said swivel releasably connected to the cargo hook of the hoverable airborne vehicle, and also with said aft portion removably attachable to said fore end of said pole of said pole subassembly;

whereby the bookable means of the downed drone airborne vehicle is hooked and secured by and with said book of said hook subassembly. and thereby the downed drone airborne vehicle may be lifted. supported. and carried by the hoverable airborne vehicle by suspension thereof.

2. A retrieval assembly. as set forth in claim 1. wherein said hook of said hook subassembly has two ends. with an elongated jaw at one end. and with a cavity at the other end suitably dimensioned and configurated to accept and mate with said fore end of said pole of said pole assembly. and also with said hook having a biased keeper at said other end of said book.

3. A retrieval assembly. as set forth in claim 2, wherein said keeper at said other end of said hook is biased by a spring 4. A retrieval assembly. as set forth in claim I. wherein said pole of said pole assembly has a handle attached to said aft end of said pole. and said pole assembly further includes: a ground wire having two ends. with one end attached to said pole handle; a grounding clip connected to the other end of said ground wire.

llfsSLlfihl) is a steel nire cahle of not less than one hall inch in diameter 8. A s\\i\e| assembly. as set forth in claim I, wherein said ait portion of said s\\t\el has attached thereto an alt link for releasably eonnecting said all portion of said swivel to the cargo hook of the hoverahle airborne vehicle. also wherein said aft portion of said swivel has attached thereto a swivel adapter having an opening which will accept and \\ill releasahlt hold said tore end of said pole ot said pole assemhly, *5 4 i 

1. A retrieval assembly, in combination with an airborne vehicle capable of hovering, for use in retrieving a downed drone airborne vehicle having hookable means attached to it, wherein the hoverable airborne vehicle has a cargo hook and is capable of lifting, supporting, and carrying the downed drone airborne vehicle by suspension thereof, comprising: a. a hook subassembly which includes a hook by which the hookable means of the downed drone airborne vehicle may be releasably hooked; b. a pole subassembly which includes a pole having a fore end and an aft end, with said fore end removably attached to said hook of said hook subassembly; c. a recovery cable subassembly which includes a recovery cable having a fore end and an aft end, with said fore end connected to said hook of said hook assembly; d. and, a swivel subassembly which includes a swivel having a fore portion and an aft portion, with said fore portIon connected to said aft end of said recovery cable, and with said aft portion of said swivel releasably connected to the cargo hook of the hoverable airborne vehicle, and also with said aft portion removably attachable to said fore end of said pole of said pole subassembly; whereby the hookable means of the downed drone airborne vehicle is hooked and secured by and with said hook of said hook subassembly, and thereby the downed drone airborne vehicle may be lifted, supported, and carried by the hoverable airborne vehicle by suspension thereof.
 2. A retrieval assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hook of said hook subassembly has two ends, with an elongated jaw at one end, and with a cavity at the other end suitably dimensioned and configurated to accept and mate with said fore end of said pole of said pole assembly, and also with said hook having a biased keeper at said other end of said hook.
 3. A retrieval assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said keeper at said other end of said hook is biased by a spring.
 4. A retrieval assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pole of said pole assembly has a handle attached to said aft end of said pole, and said pole assembly further includes: a ground wire having two ends, with one end attached to said pole handle; a grounding clip connected to the other end of said ground wire; and, a hollow cylindrical tube surrounding said pole and being slideably movable between said fore end and said aft end of said pole.
 5. A retrieval assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hook of said hook subassembly is made of an aluminum alloy.
 6. A retrieval assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pole of said pole subassembly is made of an aluminum alloy.
 7. A retrieval assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recovery cable of said recovery cable subassembly is a steel wire cable of not less than one half inch in diameter.
 8. A swivel assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said aft portion of said swivel has attached thereto an aft link for releasably connecting said aft portion of said swivel to the cargo hook of the hoverable airborne vehicle, also wherein said aft portion of said swivel has attached thereto a swivel adapter having an opening which will accept and will releasably hold said fore end of said pole of said pole assembly. 